Things to do in Manhattan, New York: One day three ways

PENNY PINCH

Breakfast on a $5 spinach and ricotta croissant at Culture Espresso (cultureespresso.com), then embark on a self-guided walk around Midtown's cavalcade of great free stuff. This should include the astonishingly huge ceiling painting in the Chrysler Building's marble-drenched lobby and the overhead starscape that adds sparkle to the Grand Central Terminal. The New York Public Library (nypl.org) is a masterpiece in white marble – and also has incredible treasures on display, such as a Gutenberg bible and hundreds of rare maps. For lunch, Pax (paxfood.com), at the corner of humming Bryant Park, sells tasty beef brisket burritos for $11. The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (fitnyc.edu) is also free, and has more than 50,000 historically significant items of clothing in the collection. Brave the queues at Totto Ramen (tottoramen.com) for top in-the-know $14 spicy pork ramen and sleep at the compact-but-cool Pod 51 (thepodhotel.com, $142).

TOTAL: $172

EASY DOES IT

Enjoy the timewarp archway diner feel over $18 eggs benedict at Pershing Square (pershingsquare.com), before technically stepping out of the US by entering the United Nations Headquarters. One-hour tours (visit.un.org, $23) explain how things work, and show off bizarre artworks in the council chambers. For lunch, enjoy a $28 squid ink ravioli at amiable basement Italian Vice Versa (viceversanyc.com) then the rest of the day is cultural. After absorbing the big hitters of the Museum of Modern Art (moma.org, $32) – including Van Gogh's The Starry Night ​– head to the TKTS booth (tdf.org) just north of Times Square. This sells half price on-the-night tickets to Broadway shows. Snaffle whichever option sounds best, for around $69, and head to the theatre. Take a late chicken pot pie dinner at buzzy modern brassiere The Smith (thesmithnyc.com, $29) then kip with impressive views at the New York Palace (newyorkpalace.com, $405).

TOTAL: $604

SPLASH OUT

Everything today will need advance booking, but it's worth it. Get the skinny on the 42nd Street corridor's neck-straining architecture on Context Travel's $107 walking tours (contexttravel.com) through the city's most dazzling skyscrapers. Then meander over to the Grand Central Terminal's oyster bar (oysterbarny.com) and indulge in the eight-piece oyster platter ($30). In the afternoon, get staggering views out over the city from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck (topoftherock.com, $38). It's a better bet than the Empire State Building, as you can actually see the Empire State Building. Dine early at three Michelin-starred French seafood specialist Le Bernardin (le-bernardin.com), where the four-course prix fixe menu costs $175. Then prepare to roar with laughter at Broadway's funniest musical, The Book Of Mormon, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (jujamcyn.com, $140). Sleep in a sprawling suite high above the skyline at the Langham Place (langhamhotels.com, $1465).

TOTAL: $1955

The writer was a guest of the New York Palace and Langham Place.